quote:

Originally posted by VibrationGuy
Not to get off on a rant here, but I’m sorely tempted to believe that the vast majority of ingredients in pizza parlors has gotten markedly blander over the last 30 years in a shameless attempt to pander to the youngest elements of the family.

Dearfolk,
This makes sense to me. I’ve been in pizza parlors that advertise that they are "family" oriented and noted a distinct mediocrity, especially in the chain joints… I went to Chuck E. Cheese’s once, only because I was utterly dragged there; same for some Pizza-Time Theatre place, the name and specifics of which I have pleasantly forgotten except for Fatz The Gorilla who led the combo. Both were culinary beacons approaching micrometers in height and well under the lightpower of the feeblest geriatric soon-to-be-retired firefly.
Here in Athens there is a local family-oriented pizza place that makes decent pizza in an all-you-can-eat format at quite a reasonable price. There are other locations in Georgia (it’s a small area chain, slow to build new stores). In case someone wants to try it, it’s Stevi B’s Pizza at 196 Alps Road. Especially for the price, I found myself quite satisfied.
My finding is that in a college town of any size there will usually be one pre-eminent pizzeria that doesn’t make a business of delivery; that is where I go. Here that head-and-shoulders-above eatery is Little Italy, a busy, noisy place at 125 N. Lumpkin Street downtown. Their slices, calzones, and subs are terrific… fact is, I find myself wanting one (an Italian Special; add sausage and extra garlic) about now, and it’s a no-no because for a few weeks I’m on a strict self-imposed diet!
Sweet pizza sauce? Glecch! I’d rather have a combination livermush-and-goat-cheese pizza without sauce (add onions, black olives, some red pepper, and lots of garlic) than to suffer through poor defenseless tomatoes that have been processed and pulverised to near-irrecognizability only to be mixed with so much corn sweeter as to resemble nothing whose plant ancestors could ever have possibly graced the sunny shores of Italy.
Gad, I’m waxing eloquent tonight.
Producing Copy (Thus Being In The Produce Business, Like Some Of My Family In Florida!), Ort. Carlton in Sunnywarmer Athens, Georgia.